


'On the Subject of the Elric Brothers', by Sciezca Brandywine

by Evil_Little_Dog



Series: Little Things [168]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Community: fmagiftexchange, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-10 13:45:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3292568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evil_Little_Dog/pseuds/Evil_Little_Dog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary:  Sciezca wants to write a tell-all book about the Elric brothers. Winry thinks this is a Very Bad Idea. <br/>Disclaimer: Arakawa is the holder of all the cards, I can’t even catch a joker out of the deck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	'On the Subject of the Elric Brothers', by Sciezca Brandywine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kalirush](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kalirush/gifts).



When Sciezca decided maybe someone needed to commit to print everything that happened leading up to the Promised Day and thereafter, the beginnings of democracy in Risembool, she hadn’t actually expected to take up the pen herself. But with her contacts within the military, it seemed like the best idea. She’d spoken with a great many of the key players in Central City, and corresponded with some outside of Central City, and had been told a few times by various people she really ought to speak to the Elric brothers, and get their take on things. 

Remembering them and how they’d helped her out with introducing her to Brigadier General Hughes, Sciezca was definitely interested in renewing their acquaintances. When she finally tracked Edward down, he was in Rush Valley with his wife. He told Sciezca she was in luck – Alphonse was back from Xing visiting, so she could talk to him, too. That was all the invitation Sciezca needed, and she packed her bag and hopped the earliest train she could get. 

Rush Valley startled her with its conglomerate of businesses and houses all piled up on top of each other, squeezed into what was actually a valley. There was barely enough room to walk along some of the…she hesitated to call them streets. But at least she had a guide – Edward had sent a friend to the station to pick her up. 

The friend was a dark-skinned young woman with a bright smile and an outstretched hand. “Paninya Dhiri,” she said. “You’ve got to be Sciezca. Al’s sketch of you was perfect.” She showed Sciezca a pencil sketch and Sciezca couldn’t help but be shocked at how detailed it was, considering it had been almost six years since she’d seen the Elrics. “Ed would’ve come himself, but Al and he got called out to the Dominics’ place this morning.” Paninya didn’t elaborate on who the Dominics were, or why they might need the Elrics’ help, just offered to take Sciezca’s bag and lead her through the narrow, noisy streets. At least everything was clean – Sciezca was surprised at how clean, actually, but it made sense, considering how close the buildings were to each other, and how warm it was down in the valley. Heat would make any offal stink within a very short time. 

Paninya led her to a building with an awning stretched partially out over the road. It reminded Sciezca of a garage, with the front of it currently closed. The building was two stories high. A door with the name, ‘Rockbell Automail’ painted on the glass in dark green with gold outlines, and in smaller letters below, ‘Winry Rockbell, Engineer’, let them into the building. It was definitely cooler than outside, and Sciezca let out a soft sigh of relief. Paninya smiled at her, walking behind a counter blocking off what appeared to be a waiting room from the rest of the shop. “Winry’s upstairs with the kids. Come on.” 

Sciezca followed Paninya up some narrow, switchback stairs. As they climbed to the second floor, the sound of children squabbling greeted them. Paninya winced. “Those kids,” she grumbled. The second floor had a small foyer with a hallway off of it, and Paninya set Sciezca’s suitcase there. “I’m back with Miss Brandywine!” she shouted, making Sciezca jump. 

Two tow-headed children appeared in the hallway, one about three, the other maybe two. They stumbled down the hall, squealing in delight. “Aun’ Ninny!” the elder, a little boy, said, waving his chubby arms at her. 

Paninya picked him up, settling him on her hip. “Were you good, Simon?” 

He nodded. “Better’n Becca!” 

With a mock frown, Paninya told him, “I’ll ask your mother.” She turned her body to Sciezca. “This is Miss Brandywine. Miss Brandywine, this is Simon Rockbell-Elric.”   
The boy buried his face in Paninya’s neck, making her roll her eyes. “He’s never this shy.” 

The second child finally made it to them, a pacifier in her mouth, her big, blue eyes studying Sciezca curiously. Raising her stubby fingers over her head, she opened and closed her hands. 

“She wants to be picked up, too.” A new voice caught Sciezca’s attention, and she looked from the toddler to the blond woman who appeared in the hallway. Her long hair hung loose around her shoulders, and Sciezca could see the same shade of blue in her eyes as the girl’s, though both children had darker hair. The woman swooped down, picking up the little girl, who giggled around her pacifier. “I’m Winry. It’s nice to meet you, Miss Brandywine. And thank you so much for the help you gave Ed and Al back then.” 

“Oh, it’s not a problem! I was happy to do it!” Sciezca tried to wave off the thanks while shaking Winry’s callused hand. “I mean, helping them opened up so many opportunities for me!” 

Paninya and Winry exchanged a glance, Paninya’s eyebrows dancing. Whatever Winry thought was drowned out in Simon deciding to let out a squeal, loud enough to puncture eardrums. “Simon!” Winry scolded, “do you remember what an inside voice is?” 

“Yes, Mommy,” he said, guileless. 

“Then you need to remember to use it.” She took his foot and gave it a shake as a reminder. 

“Why don’t I take the kids out back to play for a while, and you and Miss Brandywine can talk?” Paninya offered, opening her arm to Becca, who promptly let go of her mother’s shirt to grab the air between herself and Paninya.

Sciezca wondered at the faint thrum of tension between the two women as Winry handed off her daughter with a thanks. Paninya barely looked strong enough to hold Simon, but handled both children with ease, telling them they were going to go play in the yard as she carried them off. 

“I don’t know if I could do that,” Sciezca admitted.

“She’s great, isn’t she?” Winry smiled fondly after Paninya and her children before focusing her attention on Sciezca. “Why don’t you come in, and I’ll make us some lemonade? It’s too hot for tea,” she said, leading the way down the hallway and to an open room. The kitchen wasn’t very big, but the room was open, and very lived in, with a table and chairs, and a small kitchen with a stove, oven, sink, and cabinets taking up a space in the corner. There were children’s toys in a basket in the opposite corner, with an oval braided rag rug covering much of the wooden floor. A pair of double doors both let in light and led the way out onto what appeared to be a balcony of some sort, or roof-top porch, though the shades pulled partway down also shaded the kitchen from the heat of the day and kept Sciezca from further investigation at the moment. Winry pulled a pitcher of fresh lemonade from the ice box and poured them both glasses, gesturing at Sciezca to sit. 

Winry seated herself across from her, taking a sip from her glass. Sciezca tasted the lemonade, making an appreciative noise. “It’s wonderful, thank you, Mrs. Elric! My mouth is so dry from traveling on the train.”

“It gets that way, doesn’t it? My butt used to ache all the time from riding those long trips!” Winry’s chuckle was charming, and encouraged Sciezca to laugh along with her. “And please, Winry.” 

“Of course, but only if you call me Sciezca.” 

“Thank you, Sciezca.” She smiled as Sciezca saluted her with her lemonade, taking another sip of the tartly-sweet drink. “I’m glad you came to visit.” 

“I am, too.” Sciezca set down the glass, a little harder than she meant, the contact making a ‘tick’ sound. She started to apologize, but Winry shook her head. 

“I have toddlers,” she said. “So, what are you hoping to find out from Ed and Al?” 

“Everything.” Wrapping her hands around each other, Sciezca said, “I’ve interviewed a lot of different people in regard to what led up to the Promised Day. Brigadier General Mustang, Captain Hawkeye, Lieutenant Colonel Armstrong – they all told me I should speak to the Elrics.” She had to adjust her glasses, pushing them back up her nose. “I feel I’m really lucky that Al’s here in Amestris – I understand he spends a lot of time in Xing now.”

Winry nodded. “He’s studying there.” A warm, fond smile crossed her face as she drew a straight line with the condensation from her glass. “I hope he doesn’t decide to stay in Xing, it’s hard for Ed to be separated by such a distance. But Al really loves it.” 

Picking up her glass and taking another drink, Sciezca let Winry’s soft words flow. “How long have you known the brothers?” 

“All my life. Which is why I wanted to talk to you without them around. There are things in their past – in all of our pasts – that you can’t print.” 

Sciezca blinked at the expression on Winry’s face. Her pleasant countenance had shifted to one of determination. “But it’s knowledge, and knowledge - ”

“Shouldn’t be shared in this case.” Winry laid her hand on the table. “There are secrets in my family that could hurt us if they were in the open. Could hurt our children. Could hurt other alchemists, and the people who love them.” There was more than a hint of steel in her eyes and the tilt of her mouth. 

“Family secrets?” 

Winry’s jaw flexed and she looked away, past Sciezca. Sciezca was sure she was seeing the past, rather than whatever lay over her shoulder. “Alchemy secrets, family secrets.” Her focus narrowed to Sciezca again. “It isn’t time for that information to come out. After we’re dead, Ed, Al, and me; and maybe our children are, too, or so old that it wouldn’t matter, it could be published. But not now. So there will be information the brothers won’t share with you. About their childhoods, and mine. About Al’s armor.” Pushing back her chair, Winry rose, going to a drawer and opening it. She pulled out a folder, and laid it on the table in front of Sciezca. “This is a contract which I want you to sign. I will give you all the information I have on the brothers that they won’t tell you. But by the contract, you cannot publish it until my youngest child is eighty years old, or would be.” 

“But I could be dead by then,” Sciezca protested.

Her smile was somehow a mixture of gentleness and terrifying. “So will Ed and Al, and me, too. So whatever is published then won’t affect any of us.” The ‘Especially the brothers’ seemed to hover unsaid between them. “I hope you’ll review the contract, Sciezca. I really hope you’ll agree to sign it.”

“But I have questions now.” Frustration made her clench her fingers into fists, though she hid them under the table. 

“You can get a runaround, or you can get the truth,” Winry said flatly. “Ed and Al won’t tell you everything. I will.”

“Without me being able to publish it.” Sciezca jutted her chin out. 

“Not yet. But some day, it can be published.” Taking a deep breath, Winry said, “Sciezca, I understand you have a mother, who’s very ill.” Sciezca swallowed, the muscles in her thighs and arms tensing. Winry’s eyes widened, and she patted the air in protest. “I’m not threatening her! Or you. But you’d do anything you can to protect her, I know. Just like I’d do anything I can to protect my family.” 

Her heart rate slowed eventually, and Sciezca nodded with a heavy sigh. “All right. I’ll agree to this. But you will tell me everything?” 

Winry’s nod was equally as solemn. “Everything I know.” 

Sciezca opened the folder, starting to read the contract. Winry left her to it after a few minutes, washing the dishes in the sink and putting them away, disappearing back down the hall. A door opened and Sciezca heard a faint shriek of dismay, followed by a blistering of the air. She tuned all of it out to concentrate on the contract, and what it spelled out. Finally, she lifted her head, glancing behind her. Winry stood with Paninya, the two of them lost in some whispered conversation. Sciezca cleared her throat. “It says I need a witness.” 

“That’s me,” Paninya said, grinning, and produced a pen from the pocket of her canvas trousers. 

Sciezca signed, Winry signed, and Paninya witnessed their signatures on both copies of the contract. “Now that that’s concluded,” Winry said, tucking her copy of the contract into the same drawer she’d taken it from, “shall we grab the kids and go get something for lunch?” 

_Ninety-six years later_

The lock box had been sealed for some time, but finally, Miss Lola Brabantz, of Brandywine Publishing, could unlock it, being a certain date left behind in a will of the founder of the publishing house, Sciezca Brandywine. The neatly-typed manuscript sat in a box with a sealed envelope on top. The envelope included a contract made by Sciezca Brandywine and Winry Rockbell-Elric, as well as a letter from Miss Brandywine herself, detailing again the specifications for publication. 

_This manuscript deals with the events leading up to the Promised Day, as told to me, Sciezca Brandywine, by Winry Rockbell-Elric, wife of Edward Elric, once known as the Fullmetal Alchemist. This is the truth I was unable to tell when I published my first and subsequent books on the history of Amestris and the early years of democracy._

Lola clutched the box to her chest as she left the bank, thinking she had a lot of reading ahead of her.


End file.
